Series 25473

Department of Transportation. Office of Community Relations Subject Photographs

Dates: 1957-1970, 1979.

6.00 cubic feet

These records are housed in the Utah State Archives' permanent storage room.

Scope and Content

The Department of Transportation (UDOT) documents its activities and construction projects with photographs. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, when the bulk of these photographs were taken, the Department (then organized as the State Road Commission) was highly involved in the construction of Interstate Highways throughout the state. This collection commences in 1957, which is one year after President Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, calling for the construction of a National System of Interstate and Defense Highways. These photographs document original construction of Interstate-15, Interstate-70, and Interstates-80 and 80N (later changed to I-84). Photographs include drawings of proposed routes, photos of construction in progress, photos of engineers and construction crews, aerials of sections of highway, and photos of construction equipment. They document the construction of numerous structures and bridges and the development of freeway and and state road signs. In addition to interstate construction, the commission also photographically documented road maintenance throughout the state. Photographs document snow removal, flood damage, accidents, and vandalism. They document widening State Street in Salt Lake City which required replacing the old Eagle Gate, a decorative structure with an eagle statue perched on top which arches over the street at the foot of Capitol Hill. In addition to road construction and maintenance these photographs document commission events such as conferences of the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) and the Western Association of State Highway Officials (WASHO). They also include scenery shots and a variety of other miscellaneous treasures including photographs of Native Americans and historic photographs of the Beehive House (Brigham Young's home) and of Utah roads and travel in the early twentieth century.

Arrangement

Alphabetical by subject.

Research Note

Because the photographs are arranged by subject, it is well to check various possibilities. For example photographs of I-15 construction through Salt Lake City may be filed under, 'construction,' ' I-15,' or 'Salt Lake freeway' or under all three.

Related Records

Photographs from the Road Commission, Series 921, contain similar photographs for a different time period.

Official photographs from the Department of Transportation. Office of Community Relations, Series 24289, contain similar photographs for a different time period.

Custody History

The photographs in this series were transferred from the Department of Transportation to Utah State Archives in 2003.

Access Restrictions

This series is classified as Public.

Preferred Citation

Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.

Processing Note

This series was processed by Rosemary Cundiff in November and December 2004.